effertz



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

P. EFFERTZ.

GAS COMPRESSOR.

(No Model.)

Patented Nov. 3, 1885.

Fi i

N. PETERS. Phnwumn phqr. Wnhinglofl. 0.6,

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. P. EFPERTZ. GAS COMPRESSOR.

Patented Nov. 3, 1885.

N. PEYERS. Phok'rLflMgrlphun Wnhinghm 0.0.

UNITED STATES PETER EFFERTZ, OF CHEMNITZ, SAXONY, GERMANY.

GAS-COMPRESSOR.

SPECEFICATICN forming part/of Letters Patent No. 329,726, dated November3, 1885.

' Application filed June 29, 1885. Serial No. 176,067. (No model.)

usual tightness, so as to create objectionable friction.

It has been heretofore proposed to employ a loose metallic ring,sometimes designated as a lantern-brass, in the midst of the packingin astuffing-box, and to connect a chamber thus formed with what .istechnically known as the vacuum side of the apparatus, by which is meantthe portion of the system of pipes and passages in which the gas is atthe lowest pressure in the act of being returned to the compressor; butas it is usually the fact that, even in what is termed the vacuum side,the pressure is considerably above the pressure of the externalatmosphere, it follows that there is still considerable pressure in thegas in the chamber thus formed in the stuffing-box. Such pressure tendsto force the gas outward past the packing, which is exterior thereto.The gas thus forced outward is lost, and is liable to become a source ofannoyance, or even of injury, to the health of those employed about themachines. I avoid the difficulty by leading a pipe from the chamber inthe stuffing-box to a point where it is cooled down to the temperatureof the returning gas, which is usually much below the freezing-point ofwater. The great condensation of the gas, due to this cooling, reducesits bulk, and, with some gas, induces a condensation into a liquid form.I provide a chamber for its reception, and maintain the chamber at avery low temperature. As only a small amount of gas will usually be thusdelivered for a considerable time, a small chamber may serve. Thegreatly concentrated or condensed gas is removed from the chamber,either at intervals or constantly, by

a pump, or by the employment of absorbents. I provide gages to determinethe pressure, and, in case of condensation of the gas, to determine thequantity of condensed gas which accumulates in the chamber.

In what I esteem the most complete form of the invention I provide thestuffing-box with three sets of packing and separate them by two insteadof one chamber. The gas from both the chambers may be led to the same ora different condensing and storing apparatus. In what I esteem the mostcomplete operation I use the outer chamber as a means for introducing alubricant.

Instead of making each chamber by a lante rn brass or any rigid ring, Iobtain an equally effective chamber by the employment of two thin rings,with a sufficiently stout spiral spring between. The spiral spring givesasufficiently free opening,through which the gas can certainly andeasily find its way to the connected pipe, and also maintains an elasticpressure, which is of great importance in maintaining the tightness ofthe packing for considerable periods without requiring the gland to beset up. The three packings may be of uniform thickness; but preferablythe inner packing is thickest. My invention allows the pressure in the,chamberin the stuffingbox to be kept down to that of the atmosphere; orby properly pumping or providing absorbents the pressure may be kept alittle below that of the atmosphere. In either case there will, forobvious reasons, be no appreciable loss of gas from its forcing itselfout past the second and third packings.

The accompanying drawings form a part of go effect of drawing inattenuated gas throughsuitable valves, (not sh own,) compressing it tothe high tension required and delivering it" through suitable valves(not shown) to be subsequently utilized by allowing it to expand afterremoving the heat generated by compression, which may be done by liberalapplication of water to the exterior of pipes or vessels in which thehot compressed gas is contained. The expansion produces the refrigenating effect which is desired, and after the expanded gas has been ledthrough pipes to manufacture ice or otherwise utilize the lowtemperature produced it is brought back to the compressor. The apparatusinvolved in my invention is applied in connection with thereturn-passages for the gas.

The other portions of the apparatus need not be represented.

In all the figures the stuffing-box is marked A, and is manufactured insections tightly cates with the space between the packings O r and G.The gas during the periods of maximum pressure at the adjacent end oftheco niepressor is liable to leak past. the first packing, Any gas thusleaking is received in the chamber between G and 0- and is led awaythrough the pipe G.

I provide means, which will now-be described, for keeping the pressurein the pipe G down to about the pressure of the atmosphere, so thatthere is no force tending to drive the gas out past the second packing,O.

H is a pipe bringing the return-gas from the ice-making apparatus. (Notshown.)

H is a considerable chamber, through which the gas thus receivedtraverses on its way to the compressor. In its interior is a coil, G,which receives the gas at a low pressure from the stuffing-box andcauses it to be cooled to the extreme low temperature of the return gas.This cooling greatly reduces the volumeof the gas escaping from thestuffingbox. Under favorable conditions it will condense it into aliquid. I will describe it as being thus condensed. The condensed gas isled from the coil G through a pipe, G, and delivered into a reservoir,I. This reservoir is kept cool by the passage of the return gas throughit by means of the concentric pipe H I provide pipes I I communicating,respectively, with the top and bottom of the reservoir I, and controlledby suitable stop-cocks. The condensed gas at the pressure of theatmosphere may be drawn out from this chamber I at-any time by openingboth the stop-cocks and allowing similar gas to enter through the vuppermost, while the condensed gas flows out of the lowermost.

Instead of drawing out the condensed gas at nections.

chamber I, or work the pump or absorbing apparatus with more efficiency,whenever the manometer shows the pressure in G to be mainte rvals,stillbetter working may be attained in large apparatus by connecting anefficient exhausting-pump to the lower pipe, I or by connecting suchpipe to a chamber containing suitable chemicals for absorbing the gas,the gas being subsequently recovered therefrom by being driven out byprocesses that are well known.

J is a glass gage, which indicates the height to which the condensed gashas accumulated at any time in the chamber I.

K is a manometer or pressure-gage, which indicates the pressure in thepipe G and-its con- The attendant should empty the terially above thatof the atmosphere.

I have shown the chamber between th packings G and G as communicatingwith an apparatus having two cocks and an intermediate chamber suitablefor admitting oil. After opening the upper cock, S, the intermediatechamber may be filled with oil poured in the cup at the top. Then byclosing the upper cock, S, and opening the lower, either widely orpartially, the oil will be allowed to fill Instead of this, any desiredpipe may be connected for leadthe chamber between the second packing, O,and the third packing, O

ing in any suitable fluid, or for leading away any gas which may flowpast the packing and reachthis portion of the apparatus. xIOO Theelastic action of the springs E is impor-.,

tant.

The reciprocations of the piston-rod b induce a constant wear of thepacking, which 1.

impairs its tightness. the gland F should be setup so as to compresstervals.

As heretofore worked,

no the packing into smaller compass at short ina The labor this involvesis greatly re-f: duced by the springs E, which, when the gland has beenset up so as to compress the packing and the springs to a proper extent,

'IIO

exerts a constant expansive force which maintains the packing undernearly the samepressure for a long period. The gland may be consequentlytightened at longer intervals.

Referring to Fig. 2, P is a chamber corre-- sponding to the reservoir I,and arranged to receive the condensed gas produced by thein- Thischamber; may in practice be at a much greater distance.

may be raised or lowered without materially tense cooling in the coil G.

than is here shown, so that the temperature affecting that of thechamber H.

.Q is a coil inclosed in the chamberP and.

communicating, through terminals, (not rep? 1 either cooling or heating.I can work this resented,) with any suitable provisions for apparatus inthe same manner as has been.d e

scribed for working Fig. 1.

trary, it is required to work the apparatusby absorption, the chlorideof lime or other mate-1, rial which is to absorb the gas is supplied inthe chamber 1?, and at intervals the lower stop 7 In such case I i senda current of the return gas or othercold medium through the, coil Q. If,on the con 1 0 cock, h, connecting this chamber with the chamber H,being closed and the upper stopcock being open, steam is introduced inthe pipe Q, and the gas previously absorbed by the chemical is driveninto the chamber H, where it mingles with the gas in the vacuum side ofthe apparatus, and is thus recovered. When the most of the gas is thusdriven out, the steam being shut off and the chamber P cooled, the lowerstop-cock, h, is again opened and the absorption goes on as before.

Fig. 3 shows a corresponding arrangement with a stop-cock on each sideof the chamber P.

This allows the same arrangement of the chambers to be employed with adriving out or drawing out of the condensed gas from time to time, as inFig. 1.

Various other modifications may be made in the forms and proportionswithout departing from the principle or sacrificing the advantages ofthe invention. I can use a portion only, if desired. I can dispense withthe outer packing, 0 and with the chamber between it and the packing Oand its connections.

I claim as my invention 1. In combination with the pipe G and means, asG H, for concentrating and condensing the gas, the spring E, in thechamber of the stuffing-box, adapted to maintain the tightness of thepacking by its elastic action, as herein specified.

2. A coldstorage reservoir, I, and provisions, as I 1 for emptying it atwill, in combination with cooling means G H H the pipe G, and thestuffing-box A of a gas-compressor having separate packing 0 0 as hereinspecified.

3. The triple packing O O 0 in combina tion with the stuffing-box of agas-compressor, and means S and connection for supplying oil, and withmeans G G H for leading away the gas from one of the chambers,substantially as herein specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PETER EFFERTZ.

Witnesses:

J NO. L. PARISH, F. W. KAS'IEN.

